--image and description from Goodreads.com
Moonlight Masquerade was an interesting look into the Regency period, one that I especially love because of Jane Austen's books. Add that to politics, spies, and a sprinkle of romance, and I'm hooked.
What I loved about Moonlight Masquerade was how much I enjoyed the characters. Celine and Rees complimented each other well--Celine especially drew me in with her kindness and wit. Despite her aloofness due to her social standing, her head was very interesting to be in. And watching Rees struggle between loyalty to his country and the woman he loved had me feeling really bad for him. Their attraction and the journey they follow as they grow closer had me breathless at moments with the beauty and sincerity of their attachment. I could completely understand their affection for one another, and if I were a lady of high standing with a butler like that, I'd probably throw away my chances at high society for him, too. ;)
This book was full of sneaking around, complete with costumes and a masquerade ball scene that had my heart thumping. However, I felt as though not a lot happened in this novel, and there was no sense of urgency. The bad guys were a little too obvious, and as nobody really got hurt I did not feel as though any one was actually ever in any danger. This disappointed me a little because I feel as though this could have gone above and beyond the average 'regency romance' book. I've read A Tales of Two Cities by Charles Dickens about the French Revolution; that book makes you DIE for the characters because you know people are going to die and happiness comes at a cost. That is one of the things authors have to balance with the romance when they tackle the French Revolution, because it was a bloody time and the aftermath of it was mentioned but not really shown in this book. I don't love sorrow any more than anyone else, but I think that might have heightened the tension and made the love story all that much more satisfying in the end.
Despite all this, I truly did enjoy this book and I'm looking forward to the companion novel that focuses on a very minor character from this novel and her journey to true love.
Four Stars!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Revell and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Their generosity has in now way affected the contents of this review.
I love the cover on this one! I need to start reading more Historical Christian Fiction novels. It's just hard to know which ones are good. This one sounds pretty awesome. I wish it would have increased the stakes a bit more. I think it's always good to let your bad guys score some points so that they think they're winning!
ReplyDeleteThe ending of A Tale of Two Cites was a little bit too sad for me...but then again, maybe I was just mad that Charles Darney was barely mentioned after he was rescued. I liked that guy!
Yeah, you should definitely check it out--I loved it! And I always get mad when people say they wished Lucie had ended up with Sydney Carton--what's wrong with a steadfast, godly man like Darnay? He was my favourite character, and I always feel like he doesn't get enough love! :)
ReplyDeleteHere! Here! I loved it when Darney stood up to his horrid uncle! He was a noble man! (Darney, not his uncle.)
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by the mention of Napoleon Bonaparte, but I don't really read Christian fiction, so maybe this book isn't for me. I might suggest it to my friend, though.
ReplyDeleteI think people are more attracted to Sydney Carton because he receives a lot more character development than Darnay. (Also, I've always thought Darnay was a bit of a fool for rushing into the middle of a Revolution with no plan--and he does it without telling his wife because he assumes she won't be able to handle the news emotionally. Oh, Darnay...) However, I think the point people miss is that, no matter how much we sympathize with or like him, Carton is an alcoholic with no ambition in life--not the type of man Lucie should marry, especially when we can compare him to the upright and hardworking Darnay. Even Carton realizes he would make Lucie miserable with worry and pity if he married her.
Petra--if it helps, this book was fairly light on the Christian fiction part. Rees is Christian and there is some talk of God and faith, but it was relatively light compared to other books I've read. I'd recommend you try it out and see if you're comfortable with it. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification. I don't mind talk about faith and God as I'm Catholic. I guess I've just never been attracted to Christian fiction as a genre because most tend to be romances and I prefer books with romance rather than books that are romances. This definitely seems like it's worth a look, though. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I completely understand. I'm the same way, so I definitely read and review books beyond the Christian romance genre. I'm more of a speculative fiction/fantasy girl myself. :)
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